Teen Wolf: This Is It
by snow1010
Summary: After the harrowing events caused by the Deadpool, new girl Diana Hunter moves to Beacon Hills after a terrifying incident that killed her parents. Little does she know that the small Californian town hides dark dangerous secrets.
1. Prologue

Prologue

"Scott, you have to transform."

"No," the response came out rasped and choked, as he coughed out thick blood into his hand.

Kira Yukimura knelt beside him, her bloody hand reaching for his cheek. She turned his face toward her. Without warning, she leaned in, brushing her lips against his. He immediately responded, pulling her closer, deepening the kiss. He tasted of blood and her tears.

She pulled away, angrily wiping the tears falling down her cheeks. "You have to do it, Scott. Or else you'll die."

His soft brown eyes turned hard. "I'd rather die than become a monster," he spat through lengthening teeth.

"Don't fight it. Your body is telling you to transform. Just, do this okay? I don't care if you look like a monster or not. I want you to live."

Scott glared at her, blood seeping from the corners of his mouth. The brown eyes that she had fallen so in love with turned a deep burning blood red. His lips pulled back to reveal lengthened canines. An inhuman growl rumbled deep in his chest.

She stood, stepping a few steps back. Her hand went to her katana, feeling the answering surge of power when she touched it. Thundering steps filled the distillery, as Stiles, Malia, Lydia and Liam arrived, all in varying stages of bloodied clothing.

Stiles looked at the slumped bodies, lying in slick pools of blood. In the corner, lay Peter, his light eyes empty of the cold cunning flame that used to light them. Then to his best friend, propped up against the wall, blood staining his skin dark. His eyes glowed red as he looked sadly at them.

"Go. You don't want to be here when.." he stopped, not able to finish the sentence.

"We're not leaving," Stiles said, jaw tight.

"Nope," Lydia said.

"No way," Liam agreed.

Scott groaned. He couldn't hold it back any longer. The predator inside him snarled to be let out of its human prison. It took all of him just to be partially transformed.

"I'm sorry," he told them, before he let it go.

His friends watched in silence as he fell to the floor, back arching. The loud snapping of his bones filled the air, a pained groan escaping from him.

They slowly backed out of the distillery, but not leaving.

When it was done, a big black wolf plodded past them. It stopped, looking over its shoulder. The black eyes of the animal glowed red for an instant. Then the wolf took off, disappearing into the woods.

The moon glowed like a cold sun, shedding silvery white-blue light onto everything. Stars blinked dully down at them.

A lone howl rose from the towering shadow of the forest.

But no one answered.


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Diana twirled one of her earphones between her fingers, feeling the tinny vibrations of her still playing music on her fingers. Some fairly new movie played on the backs of headrests, the passengers in varying states of interest.

She winced as the plane shook. God, did she ever hate planes. Even though her feet were firmly planted on the blue-carpeted floor, it was like she could feel the abyss that lay beneath, threatening to swallow her. She couldn't wait for her feet to be on plain old terra firma.

She turned on her phone, quickly entering the password. She scrolled through her pictures, of her friends that she was leaving behind. As much as she hated leaving, some part of her was glad that she was. Diana didn't think she'd be able to look at home the same ever again. Not after what happened.

A ping sounded as the seatbelt sign lit once again.

"Ladies and gentlemen, we will be now beginning our descent into Los Angeles. It's currently 35 degrees. Thank you for flying with us."

It might have been interesting if she was moving there. But no, she was going to some backwater town called Beacon Hills, where her aunt and cousin lived. When she looked up the town, she had gotten mainly news reports about all the grisly murders. Home sweet home.

"As long as there's an ice rink there, and a library," she muttered to herself. The man beside her snored in response.

Finally, the plane landed with a sickening jolt. Diana's stomach roiled. She groaned. She had to get off the plane now.

Grabbing her backpack, she impatiently waited until she could finally get out of the plane. The attendants eyed her with pity and concern. Diana gritted her teeth, sudden anger furling in her chest. She couldn't stand that look.

As the shuttle took them to the heart of the airport, Diana felt her irritation growing like a weed, unwanted and uncontrollable. All she wanted was to be in her room, where she could be alone. With the heat of the sun and people pressing against her, she knew if she didn't get out soon, she was going to scream.

Finally, she entered the crisp air conditioning of the LAX. At the entrance, her aunt and cousin waited. Her aunt, Aunt Lia, was dressed in a simple v-neck, a light cardigan over it, and jean capris. Melina, her blond hair in a neat fishtail braid, wore a flowy floral dress. Her wrists were covered in bracelets.

Aunt Lia gave her a close-lipped smile, her brown eyes crinkling at the corners, a hand on Melina's shoulder. Melina beamed at her, a little sadly, while she clutched a paper reading "Diana Hunter" with big hearts and smiley faces on them.

Melina ran to her, taking her into a back-breaking hug. Diana felt all of her frustrations melt as she took comfort in Melina. Her muscles relaxed, the anger melting away. Melina always made her feel better.

"Come on, girl," she said, lacing her fingers with Diana's. "We have a long drive ahead of us."

Smiling back, she let Melina drag her away.

….

"Any sign of him?"

Liam shook his head. "No. I can't detect his scent," the disappointment evident in his voice.

Kira, Stiles, and Lydia all slumped in disappointment. Dr. Deaton leaned against the examination table. The Animal Clinic had become their unofficial meeting spot, ever since Scott disappeared into the woods.

"Where's Malia?" Stiles asked, running a hand through his messy dark hair.

"Still looking. She's going to try to track him in her coyote form."

Stiles' mouth flattened. "You shouldn't have let her go of like that. What if she can't change back either?"

"Well, I don't see you coming with any better ideas. We've been trying for months. Malia said she could do it, so I believe in her," Liam snapped, sudden aggression crackling under his skin. He felt the change lurking, the still strange and new animal side to him waiting to take over.

His nails lengthened into razor-sharp claws. He tasted the metal of his anger on his tongue. He so badly wanted to leap over the table and tear out Stiles' throat for talking to him that way.

_But its his best friend. He's just frustrated_, his rational side whispered.

_But he shouldn't have talked to me like that_, his anger fought back.

Liam closed his eyes, taking a few deep breaths. His heartbeat slowed. His fingers tingled when his claws receded.

The bell at the front door jingled merrily in the seething darkness. Malia entered the room, running a hand through her tangled light brown hair. Her clothes were wrinkled, stained with dirt and filled with leaves. She pulled a stray branch from her hair.

"I caught a trace, but then it disappeared. He has to be concealing his scent. I just don't understand why though."

"He doesn't want to be found. He's not coming back," Kira muttered. With a heavy sigh, she left, with everyone looking after her.


	3. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

As soon as they arrived at Aunt Lia's house, Diana ripped open the boxes full of her belongings and found her skates along with her skate clothes.

"Where's the rink?"

Melina looked ready to protest, but Aunt Lia gave her a look. Her cousin dipped her head in compliance.

"Its on Main Street, near the Animal Clinic," Lia said, smiling a little.

"Great," she said, running to the bathroom. After changing, popping in her contacts and pulling her long hair into a ponytail, Melina reluctantly grabbed her car keys, worry written all over. But Diana needed this. She needed the cold comfort of the rink. The feeling of the crisp air on her skin, the feeling of freedom that always took flight in her heart. She _needed_ to get away from her thoughts.

"I can walk there," she told Melina as they walked down the driveway.

"No, I'm driving you. And I'm driving you home."

"I don't need a chaperone," she snapped.

Melina grabbed her shoulder. Diana nearly yelped. Her cousin's fingers ground into her shoulder bones with a vise grip.

"You know about the murders and disappearances right? I know what happened was terrible, but your parents wouldn't want you acting recklessly, risking your life."

Diana's hand strayed to the necklace nestled between her breasts. It was simple oval stone, a milky white colour. A moonstone maybe. Her parents had given it to her.

Her answer was sliding into the passenger seat of Melina's bright red Hyundai. She didn't slam the door or glare at nothing. She just smiled slightly at her cousin as she sat in the drivers seat, cradling her skates in her arms. Her fingers traced the peeling spots of white leather, the long skinny lines where her blade accidentally cut.

It was a short drive to the rink. Diana knew it wouldn't be much, considering where they were. Some small-time American town, where it only had the basics. Here, apparently they had a sheriff's station and everything.

_Next thing you know, there will be hillbillies cooking a spit in front of their trailer,_ Diana thought sarcastically. That was very exaggerated and mean, but Diana wasn't feeling in a particularly kind mood. Usually, she would never think such mean things.

_I guess that's what happens to someone who lost his or her family. They become something different. _

The rink manager wasn't particularly happy to see them so late, but was cheered when Melina aimed her bright smile at him. Diana left the two chatting while she went to the stands, expertly tying her skates. The laces rubbed at her calluses, turning the insides of her fingers bright red. Rubbing them a bit, she pulled on her gloves, took off her guards and stepped onto the ice.

Smiling, she took off, her toe picks crunching into the ice as she pushed off. She skated lesiuriely at first, letting herself gain speed. Then she really went to it, turning backwards, letting her legs power her through. After, she glided across the ice on one foot, presenting herself to the empty stands.

She warmed up her jumps and spins, not caring that she was completely off. It just felt good to be back, feeling the edges she carved with her blades, the bumps and holes of the ice. She could imagine her parents watching her, happy that she was feeling more complete than she had in a while.

But as she skated, the feeling of being watched heightened. Diana's shoulders squared as she looked around. She swore that she saw some silhouette in the hallway just outside the actual rink, but it was gone when she looked for it again.

A chill ran down her spine. Her heart thundered in her chest.

Without another thought, she got off the ice, quickly undoing her skates. Melina came up, sitting beside her. Her eyebrows crinkled.

"Is there something wrong?"

"No, I thought I just saw- never mind. It was nothing."

Her cousin shrugged, tossing a tendril of golden hair.

Diana smiled slightly. "So, did you like him?"

"Who?"

"The rink manager."

"Shut up."

She laughed. "That's a yes."

"Well, thanks to me, you're allowed to come whenever you want. As long as you help out sometimes. Like supervising the public skating?"

"Am I getting paid?"

"You're getting paid with ice time."

"Fine."

The two girls left the rink, unaware that someone lurked in the shadows, watching them.

….

Liam knew he needed some fresh air. And since it was still summery weather outside, it seemed there was only one source of really cold air. And that was the ice rink, near the Animal Clinic.

He was about to enter when he saw someone on the ice. He checked his phone. It was almost midnight. Who would be skating in the middle of the night?

Liam found the stairway, and entered the rink from the second level. He watched as a girl sped across the ice with expert grace. He couldn't comprehend how she could jump and spin in the air at the same time, or contort her body in such positions while spinning fast. A figure skater. It was something else.

As she passed at the sides, he took a glance at her. He didn't recognize her. She must have been new. Her long brown hair swung as she skated around the ice. He slightly gulped as she took off her sweater, wearing only a tanktop, if you could call it that. It was one of those fancy sport shirts, a sports bra with draping fabric that covered her front and back. But it revealed skin on her sides.

He marveled at how small she was, how her bones stuck out. She was one of those girls that were built tiny, short and almost delicate. But when he glimpsed the muscles moving under her skin, he knew she wasn't some delicate flower.

The girl looked around, her eyes alert as they roved the rink. Liam caught a waft of her fear. Swallowing, he tucked himself into a corner before she could see him.

He wondered who she was.

Sighing, he left before the girl could spot him. Liam slowed as he neared the exit. There was someone else there. Besides the girl, the rink manager, and the blond girl talking to him. And they had the scent of a werewolf.

Liam frowned. Why would a werewolf be there? Were they interested in this new girl?

Maybe she was even more interesting than he thought.

…

Diana jolted out of bed, sweat coating her skin. Her breath rasping in her ears, she leaned over to the bedside table, turning on the lamp. The room lit with a warm gold glow. The moonstone around her neck felt ice cold against her hot flesh.

She felt the nightmare lingering like a cloak over her. It was of the Thing. Again.

_Terror clogged her throat, blocking the scream building up in her chest. Her head wound pulsed, her vision swimming with tears. Diana dragged herself down the hallway, her broken leg burning with pain. It made matters worse that the backs of her ankles were bleeding. Whoever had broken into the house had cut her ankles so she couldn't get away. _

_Her fingers ached as she pulled herself along. She looked behind her. A slick trail of blood followed her progress. Her breaths came out hiccupped and wheezy. She grabbed for the doorway, using it to pull her into her parents' room. She knew that her dad had a military knife hidden in their closet. If she could just get that… _

Diana shook off the images. Padding as quietly as she could, she went downstairs to the kitchen. She turned on the stove light, filling the room with blue-white light. The shadows of the furnishings stretched skinny and long, warping the cheerful kitchen into some horror movie scene.

Trying to ignore the chill lingering on her skin, Diana opened the fridge, pouring herself some chocolate milk. The house was quiet, except for the whir of the air conditioner.

There was a subtle click. The lock of the door being opened. Diana immediately reached for a knife, clutching it tightly. The sweat on her hands made the handle slippery in her fingers.

Diana flattened herself to the kitchen wall, peeking over. The front door swung open with a creak, a set of feet appearing on the rug. Padding on tiptoe, she drew closer to the door, raising the knife. Diana grabbed the door, swinging it completely open, the knife prepared to stab.

Melina yelped when she saw her cousin, placing a hand on her thundering heart. Her eyes darted to the steak knife clutched in her hand, poised above her head. Diana dropped the knife, sagging with relief.

Melina took the smaller girl into an embrace, one of her hands petting her long brown hair.

"Hey its okay. Its alright," she murmured to Diana.

Diana didn't even realize that she was crying, hot tears running down her cheeks.

"I won't let anything happen to you," Melina whispered to Diana. "I promise."

**Hey guys! So here's a new ff on one of my favourite shows. Hope you enjoy it and please comment! :)**


	4. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Brown and red leaves blew in the cool wind around Diana, as she stood at the steps of Beacon Hills High School. It was a cream and tan coloured building. The returning students looked at her with curiosity as they passed. Probably because she was dressed like it was still summer. For the Californians, it was fall. But for Diana, who hailed from Canada with its severe winters, it was still summer. She pulled at the edge of her jean shorts. She couldn't help it that these Americans didn't know what cold was even if it slapped them in the face.

The principal found her, giving her a bland smile. She looked back over her shoulder. Melina smiled, giving her an enthusiastic wave from the car. Diana had chanced upon the ride, since her cousin had a shift at the hospital. She had just finished her schooling, so she was a full nurse. Knowing Melina, after getting some experience, she would want to become a doctor. She was always ambitious like that.

Diana followed him in. After looking over all her papers, he handed over her schedule. First period, Calculus.

"Great," she muttered. Why did becoming a doctor or vetinarian have to have math at all?

As he led her to her class, she looked at her map. Beacon Hills High was very small. Much smaller than her old school. That assuaged her getting lost on your first day worries.

The math room had desks meant for two students. All of them were full it seemed. But there was a spot next to a very beautiful red haired girl, who looked pretty nice. And like all of those high-school setting movies, the principal introduced her in front of the class.

"Students, this is Diana Hunter. She's all the way from Canada," the principal said lazily, gesturing a hand towards her. Diana tried not to blush in embarrassment. God, she hated this.

"You can take a seat, Miss Hunter," the teacher said. Sighing in relief, she plopped down beside the red headed girl. As she took out her notebook and pencil case, the back of her neck prickled. The red headed girl was staring at her.

Diana smiled, holding a hand out. "Hi. Diana Hunter."

The other girl took her hand lightly. "Lydia Martin," she said with a quirk of her lips.

Lydia's eyes darted towards the moonstone necklace, a dark faraway look growing in her eyes. Did Diana just sit beside some crazy nut?

Ignoring her deskmate's sudden zoneout, Diana paid attention to the teacher. Her fingers rubbed the delicate silver chain that the moonstone dangled from.

Lydia pulled out her phone, opening up the group text with Kira, Stiles, Malia and Liam. Making sure that the teacher wasn't paying attention, she texted them.

_Need to talk_.

_It'll have to wait for lunch_, Stiles replied.

With a sigh, she tucked her phone away. The voices were getting louder, as the new girl Diana played with her necklace. Distant screams filled her ears.

What had happened to this girl? Or what was going to happen to her?

As the teacher handed out papers and textbooks, Lydia turned to the girl. She had long brown hair that was that in between shade of true brunette and dirty blond. Pale skin, freckles sprinkling the bridge of her nose. Burgundy glasses. Pixeish features. If she was something supernatural, what was she? A fairy or something?

"You're a long way from Canada. Where did you live before?" Lydia asked, smiling.

Diana studied her with sparkling blue gray eyes. "St Johns, Newfoundland."

"So how different is Canada from here?"

Diana smiled crookedly. "Not a whole world of different, but still a lot." She shrugged. "The weather is something to get used to. Do you guys get snow here?"

"No. If there is, its pretty rare."

"That's one thing nice about this place!"

"How much did it snow? Since its Canada, its already a lot."

"Yeah, we don't live in igloos or anything, but there was this one winter that there were snow drifts taller than me."

Lydia chuckled. Diana smiled hesitantly back. Lydia studied the look in her eyes. She just _knew_ that she was important somehow.

"I'm just going to warn you, Lydia. Math is my weakest subject, so be prepared for a lot of questions."

"Well, lucky for you, I happen to be a genius in math," she said, winking at the other girl.

They both turned back to the front. _Maybe this place won't be too bad_, Diana thought.

Once the bell rang, Lydia waited for Diana to clean up her stuff. They walked out of the classroom.

"Lydia!"

Both girls turned to see another heading their way. She was a small girl, only slightly taller than Diana herself. She was also one of the prettiest girls she had ever seen. Her dark hair fell in a perfect waterfall down her shoulders, her dark eyes sparking brightly. Her curved eyes curved further when she smiled at Diana.

"You said you wanted to talk about something?"

"Oh, we can wait about that. Kira, this is Diana Hunter. Diana, this is Kira Yukimura."

Diana held out her hand with a crooked grin. Kira took it. Something flickered in her dark eyes. Was it pain?

"Nice to meet you," they both said at the same time. They both laughed. They let go of their hands.

"I think you guys have the same class together next," Lydia said, not noticing the strange look ghosting in Kira's eyes.

"Oh! Cool! I guess we can be lab partners!" Kira said, smiling a little too brightly.

Diana was surprised. She expected, well not as much friendliness. Maybe it came with being a small school.

With a sassy wave, Lydia left them.

The two girls walked to the chemistry room, sitting around the middle. They chatted easily. Both girls found they shared many similarities, including an inclination towards being awkward.

"I know this is a weird question, but how old are you?" Kira asked, while they worked on a review worksheet.

"Sixteen."

"Sixteen? But you're a senior now."

"I'll be seventeen when I graduate. Back home, that wasn't a rare thing. There are only a couple of people that would be eighteen before we start senior year. Well, would, since I'm here now."

Kira nodded to herself. "So, do you miss home?"

"More than anything."

"I felt like that too, when my family moved here."

"When did you come?"

"Around the middle of junior year," Kira replied.

"Do you still miss it? Where you were before?"

"Not really. I miss New York, the place itself, but the friends I have here," she stared off into the window. "I think if I moved back, I would miss here more."

Talking of home made her throat thicken with tears. She could feel them coming.

Smiling a little too brightly at her new friend, they fell into silence.

…..

"So what did you want to talk about?" Stiles asked as they all sat down at their picnic table.

"Did you meet the new girl yet?" Lydia asked.

He shook his head. So did Malia.

"She seems so… sad," Kira said, looking at her hands.

"Her name is Diana Hunter," Lydia continued. "I sit beside her in Calculus."

Stiles just waited for her to get to the point. Lydia threw up her hands.

"When she was playing with her necklace, I heard something. Screaming."

Stiles raised his eyebrows. "So what does that mean?"

"How am I supposed to know?"

"You're the banshee!"

"Well, whatever she is, if she's anything, I just have this feeling that she's important. Or will be."

Kira self-consciously rubbed her hand. Stiles looked to her, dark eyes narrowing.

"What's wrong Kira? Something to add?"

"Just… I know it might sound stupid, but when I shook her hand, I felt something. Like a spark."

"Like a love at first touch thing?" Malia asked.

Kira glared at her.

"Too soon," Stiles muttered to her.

"No, not like that. I don't know. It was like some kind of recognition."

"Another kitsune maybe?"

Kira shrugged. "Maybe."

Something flickered in Stiles' eyes. Everyone recognized that look. It was the look of someone that just had to know about something. He was already going into detective mode.

….

When school let out, Diana walked over to the hospital, which was in the heart of Beacon Hills, along with the Animal Clinic, Sheriff's station and ice rink. Everything was really close together, which was nice.

She leaned against the reception desk, eyes roaming for Melina. She couldn't spot the familiar brightness of her blond hair anywhere.

"Can I help you?"

Diana turned to see a curly, dark haired woman, dressed in the bright colours of a nurse. Her dark eyes reminded her of someone. The nametag pinned to her chest read "MELISSA".

"Hi," Diana smiled, "Do you know if Melina's on call right now? I brought her some food," she gestured towards the brown bag, smelling of food.

"Melina..?"

"Oh! Melina Hale, she's a fairly new nurse."

Something flickered in Melissa's eyes that Diana couldn't discern. She smiled weakly, taking the brown bag from her.

"Of course. I'll find her, ..?"

"Diana. Diana Hunter," she supplied.

Melissa nodded. "Well, whatever it is, it smells awesome."

"Feel free to have some," Diana said. She awkwardly waved goodbye and left the hospital.

…

Melina accepted the brown bag handed to her by one of the nurses. Scott McCall's mother, Melissa. The boy that was missing.

"A girl dropped that off for you. A Diana Hunter," Melissa said.

She smiled. "My cousin."

"So you're a Hale?"

Melina was taken aback. She could hear the subtle question underneath her words; _are you a werewolf?_

She cleared her throat. "Yes. My mother wasn't in the Hale house when the fire happened. We moved back here just a couple of months ago."

"Oh."

Melina thought of the reason why she wasn't there. Her mother left her own family for a hunter. That her mother was actually not born a werewolf. But, managed to pass the gene onto her.

Melissa left her to herself. Melina released a pent-up breath. As she dug through the brown bag, her phone buzzed.

She fished it out of her pocket. She looked at the caller ID.

Brazil. A chill went down her spine.

"Hello?"

"Melina. It's Cora. I think its time."

She sighed. "Yeah, you're right." She rubbed the back of her neck, feeling the bumpy smoothness of the bandage. "Come as soon as possible."

"I'm at the airport right now. I'm coming. I'll call Erika and Bryn."

Ending the call, Melina dug into her food, her eyes shining with worry.


	5. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Diana thanked all the gods above that school had started on a Wednesday. Only three days of school. It was finally the weekend.

Waking up early, she found the forest trails. A couple of other people had the same time, all in running gear, music buzzing from their earbuds. Daylight peeked through the light foliage, brittle leaves swirling around in the wind. The breeze played with the end of her ponytail, lifting some of the light brown strands.

The crisp morning air felt good in her lungs, reminding her of the fresh air that always accompanied the Atlantic. It smelled of the sweetness of fallen leaves and sun-warmed soil.

Plugging in her earbuds, she took off, nodding in greeting at passing runners. The muscles in her legs burned as she ran, making her grin. It felt so good to push herself, to revel in the strength of her body. All of those years of training had made her lean and muscular.

She stopped suddenly. She must have not paid attention to where she was running. The trail here was covered in leaves, the pavement cracked and pale from sun exposure. This area of the trails must have been used. She turned, taking in her surroundings. Maybe going the way she came would lead her back. If she remembered exactly how she ran here.

"Good job, Diana," she muttered to herself. "What a smart move."

Running a hand over her sweaty hair, she watched the leaves dance down to the ground, joining the multi-coloured carpet of the forest floor. It may not have been home, but it was still beautiful.

She wondered if her parents would like it here. She thought they would have. Her fingers strayed to her necklace, a pang of loneliness hitting her hard in the chest. Diana plopped down into a pile of leaves, letting them fall around her like rain. Tears ran down her face. In the serene quiet of the woods, she finally let it all out, her body shaking with sobs. There would be so many things that they would miss. Her graduation. Prom. First day of university. Her wedding. The birth of her first child. Everything.

She felt like one of the many leaves falling from the trees. Lost, directionless, just tumbling down until she hit rock bottom.

Diana wiped her nose and tears. She should go back. She looked up.

A large black wolf watched her on the crest of a small hill, dark eyes shining subtly. It didn't growl, or move. It just stood there, the breeze ruffling its fur. It ears flicked back and forth.

Diana gulped. She didn't think there would be wolves in California. Or anything.

It didn't react when she slowly stood, keeping her eyes on its body language. Its ears were still up, its dark eyes almost pensive. It wasn't crouched or anything.

Diana slowly backed away, keeping her eyes on the wolf. It remained where it was. Even when she turned around and ran.

The wolf sat down on its ridge, watching the girl shrink into a fuzzy faraway dot, and then disappearing all together. Its eyes glowed red just for a second, before disappearing into the trees.

Diana ran until her breath felt like it was being sucked out of her. Her eyes swam, blurring everything together into swatches of brown and gold. She stopped, bending over her knees, trying to catch her breath. Who was she going to tell? Would they even believe her?

Something solid crashed into her, sending her flying into leaves at the side. Her skin warmed from the scrapes of the pavement. Strong hands pulled her up, steadying her as she found her footing.

Diana looked up into wide blue eyes, filled with guilty concern. Whatever biting remark that hovered on her lips disappeared. Then she realized what she was actually doing. The boy that had so rudely bumped into her was clutching her to him, hands on her waist, hers resting around his shoulders.

She stepped away, his hands immediately dropping. For some reason beyond her, she felt a sense of loss when he stopped touching her. Something deep inside her craved the warmth of a human touch. His touch.

"I'm so sorry," the guy said, his eyes wide as he looked at her. He reminded Diana too much of a kicked puppy. She already felt her anger fading.

She huffed. "Its fine. You didn't seriously injure me. But you have to watch it. Or else you might send someone to the hospital."

As he stammered, Diana quickly took him in. He wasn't much taller than her, but enough. He had spiky brown hair, and soft yet masculine features. Muscles strained under his workout shirt. Extremely cute. She felt the corner of her mouth quirk up a little.

Before she even really thought about it, she stepped forward, placing a hand on his bicep. The muscles jerked beneath her palms. The boy stopped talking, staring at her.

"Hey, its fine. Just don't do it again," she said, laughing a little.

The boy smiled in relief. It was so contagious that she smiled back. Diana's heart tripped over itself slightly. He had a really nice smile.

She dropped her hand like his skin was on fire. She hadn't realized that she was still holding his arm.

"I'm Liam. Liam Dunbar," the boy said, holding out a hand.

"Diana Hunter." They clasped hands, staring into each others' eyes. Diana could already feel a blush starting to rise to her cheeks. Grinning shyly, she dropped his hand.

"Well, I guess I'll see you around," Diana said. Waving, she ran off, back to the entrance of the trails.

Liam stared off after her, watching the length of her hair swing with her strides. The figure skater girl now had a name.

Diana Hunter.

Smiling to himself, he continued his route down the trails, in the opposite direction.

…..

After helping out at the rink, Diana did some of her homework, all review things. After finishing it, she pulled out one of her many books, heading to the TV room An earbud playing a rock song buzzed in her ear, while the TV flashed commercials in the corner of her eye.

Melina had picked up an extra shift at the hospital. She had texted her saying she wouldn't be back until very late. Aunt Lia was out, seeing friends. That left the house to her for most of the night, which was kind of nice. But the house felt too empty without them. Every time the house settled with an aching creak, Diana jumped, thinking someone had broken into the house.

Night had fallen pretty quickly, the moonlight trickling in from the windows. Diana closed her book, approaching the windows. The moon was a sleeping eye, a crescent glowing blindingly.

"Jeez, its as bright as the sun, I swear," Diana muttered to herself.

She eyed the hulking black shape of the forest nearby. Feeling the stuffiness of the house like a second house, she opened the window, letting the crisp night air in.

Diana closed her eyes, letting the breeze move through her hair and over her skin. It smelled of pine needles and dewy grass. Smiling a little to herself, she plopped down back on the couch. Her fingers just touched her the smooth cover of her hardcover when a sound shot up from the trees. Goosebumps rose all over her skin. She had never heard such a sound. Diana would usually think the sound of a wolf howling would be chilling yet beautiful, but this sound was so full of pain that it made her heart ache. She had to do something. Shooting up, she grabbed Aunt Lia's car keys, a house key, a whistle and the mini hockey stick from home, with her favourite hockey player's name on it. Stuffing it all on her big purse, she left the house. The howl still echoed in her ears, scattering all of her thoughts. Some drive pushed her. She just _had_ to find that animal. She had to help it.

She marched towards the forest, trying to ignore the way the trees, even the bushes, looked like hulking monsters in the darkness. Luckily for her, the moon was unusually bright here in Beacon Hills. Pale, ghostly beams lit her way, her footsteps crunching loudly in the quiet.

For some reason, she wasn't worried that she would be lost. Deep in her gut, Diana knew where she was going.

It was a only a couple more minutes farther when she found the source of the noise.

A large black shape was crouched at the base of a tree, something canine. Its eyes shone blood red at her in the reaching darkness. As she carefully made her way closer, she realized it was the wolf she had seen earlier.

It growled, a deep throaty sound that rumbled like thunder. Diana stopped, raising her hands in a placating gesture. The wolf grumbled at her, but stopped growling. She let out a little sigh. Maybe it would let her get close to it. If not, well she would be dead.

_Remember Diana. Animals are ruled by instinct that are older than time. But they are not unintelligent. They are like humans. They just see the world a little differently. _

Her mom's and dad's words echoed in her ears as she crouched down beside the wolf. Reaching for her phone, she turned on the flashlight. Something metallic reflected back at her, at the wolf's feet. Diana narrowed her eyes. A trap. Its metal jaws were closed around its paw. If she managed to get it loose, she wouldn't have very long until the animal bled out.

Diana drew closer, aiming her light at the base of the trap. It was one of those pressure traps. There had to be a crank or lever or something. Her fingers fumbled clumsily around the trap, trying to find it. Something hot dripped onto her hands, making her jump. The wolf's blood. Trying to remain calm, she continued her search. Surprisingly, the wolf just watched her silently, muscles tensed, but not clearly aggressive. Its ears were flat on the tops, but not fully folded, or at least that was what Diana thought. She hoped anyway.

The wolf is just as scared as you are, she chanted to herself, as she finally found the lever. She pressed down. The jaws snapped open, releasing the wolf. She shooed at the wolf with her hands, trying to get it away from the trap. The animal grumbled at her, but limped away from it. The jaws snapped closed, glistening darkly in the moonlight.

The wolf plopped down on its side, chest heaving. Finding the Kleenex in her purse, she pressed the tissues to the wound. They quickly soaked with blood.

Not really knowing what to do, Diana took all of her tissues and pushed it into the wolf's leg. Next, she dug out the whistle, wrapping the rope it was attached to around the bundle of tissues until was tight.

She plopped down on her butt.

"Kay, now what do I do?" she asked aloud. The wolf looked at her calmly, as if it believed that she could save him.

She ran her hands through her hair, her fingers snaring on the tangles. She growled to herself.

Adrenaline pumping through her veins, she lifted the wolf into her arms. There must be a lot of adrenaline going through me right now, Diana thought to herself as she moved as quickly as she could without tripping. She carefully let the wolf down on the lawn as she unlocked the SUV, opening up the trunk.

She looked to the animal. "Can you get in yourself?"

The wolf limped towards her. There was something so human about its eyes. No trace of ferocity or bloodlust.

She groaned as she hefted the wolf into the trunk, covering it with the blanket folded in the back. It just looked at her as she closed the trunk and raced to the front.

The SUV roared to life as she backed wildly out of the driveway. Nearly ripping out the shift, she switched to drive, racing out to the heart of Beacon Hills. She slammed her palms against the glass door, not caring that the glass wobbled underneath her hands.

A man came to the door. He opened the door, looking down at her with intense dark eyes.

"There's a wolf in the back of my SUV. It was stuck in a trap, but I imagined to get its leg out, but it won't have long," she told him.

The man raced out of the Clinic, leaving her running after him to catch up. She quickly opened the trunk.

The wolf's ears perked up when he saw her. But when its' eyes landed on the vet, a soft growl rumbled in its chest.

Not really believing what she was doing, she placed a hand on the wolf's side. The growling ceased.

"He's here to help you. You have to let him or you will die."

The wolf huffed. Diana imagined that it was the wolf equivalent of _alright fine_.

The vet easily lifted the animal from the trunk and hastened to the door. After quickly locking the car, Diana followed, opening the doors for him.

She followed him inside into the examination room. Diana could feel the nervousness of the wolf seething in the air, the whites of its eyes visible. She placed a hand on its head, almost shocked at the silkiness of its fur. The animal relaxed under her touch. Her hand slowly petted it, scratching it behind the ears, as if the animal lying on the silver table was a domesticated dog, instead of a wolf.

The vet watched her as he undid her makeshift binding.

"Pretty clever," he said, removing the blood-soaked tissues.

Diana nervously twirled a strand of hair. "Thanks."

She petted the wolf as the vet examined the wound. He nodded.

"Could you get me the needle and thread? Top drawer."

Nodding, she opened it. She slightly paused. Mini glass jars tinkled with the movement of the drawer, filled with strange plants and powders. There's not any time to ask any questions, Diana chastised herself as she closed it, needle and thread in hand.

"Do you need any help? I know how to stitch a wound."

The vet eyed her with penetrating dark eyes. There was just the aura about him, that he knew something.

"Its fine, but thank you. How do you know how to do that?" he asked, quickly looping the thread through.

"My mom was a vet back, my father was a conservation officer."

"Ah. Could you hand me that needle?"

Diana did as she was asked.

"Just something for the pain. I'll keep an eye on him. You though should head home. Its very late."

Diana looked down at the wolf, her fingers intertwining with its fur.

The vet smiled a little. "Don't worry. You can come over tomorrow afternoon if you'd like. I'm Dr. Deaton by the way."

"Diana Hunter."

Something flickered in his eyes. "Nice to meet you, Ms Hunter."

She wondered if he knew about her family. About what really happened to them. Luckily for her, the authorities did not release her name, so whoever had broken into the house would not be able to track her down again.

It had been some random break-in. But for some reason, Diana had doubts about that.


	6. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

The next day, Diana felt extremely on edge, like she did before a competition. She couldn't stop moving. Luckily, she had to help out at the rink, or else she would be pacing, wearing a track into Aunt Lia's carpeted floors.

When the last skater got off, she smiled. She now had the ice to herself. Digging out her phone, she plugged it into the audio system. The hidden speakers made snapping sounds as it connected.

After warming up all of her jumps and spins, she went to her phone. She picked the track. Diana quickly skated to her starting place, settling into her opening pose. The music started. And she was gone.

…

Liam had received the call late last night about Scott turning up. As much as his wolf instincts demanded him to be there with the rest of the pack, he found himself in the rink.

A little crowd had already manifested in the stands, watching. Liam looked to the ice. Diana Hunter zoomed across the ice, executing smooth dancelike movements to an instrumental of an OneRepublic song. Almost in a daze, he found a spot in the stands.

The look on her face as she passed fascinated him. Her eyes were intense, but at the same time, she was in some other world. He watched with the other bystanders as she spun, her knee bent 90 degrees, like she was almost sitting, except on one foot. Then she twisted her torso, arms wide.

She finished, stopping in a pose. Diana lowered her arms, taking in a deep breath. Her pale skin was pink with exertion, stray hairs curling at her temples from her ponytail.

The bystanders began cheering and whistling and clapping. Diana jolted, like she had been wrenched away from some dream. Her lips made an O in surprise. Then smiling impishly, she bowed to the crowd. Grabbing her sweater slung on the boards, and her phone, she skated off. The crowd dissipated.

Liam remained, even though his cell phone in his pocket buzzed insistently. He watched as she flicked a mix of snow and ice off her blades, then pulling on her guards. She walked easily in her skates, like they were normal shoes, instead of stumbling around like Liam would, when he would skate. Which was not that often, pretty much never.

Without noticing him, she stepped up onto the stands, a couple below him. Propping one of her feet up, she began unlacing.

"That was pretty amazing," he said, quietly drawing closer. Sometimes he just loved wolf powers.

Diana jumped, looking over her shoulder. Liam smiled crookedly. She ducked her head, as if she was embarrassed.

"Thanks," she said, her eyes peeking over her raised arm.

"So, uh, how long have you been doing this?" he asked, settling beside her. He tried not to notice how she tensed slightly, like she was afraid he'd go after or something. Or the way she looked at him, assessing.

"Pretty much all of my life. Still not as good as some of the people that skated at my club," she replied. She wiped the blade of her skate, pulling on a soft guard, the shape of it reminding Liam of a banana.

"Well, its still pretty amazing. A lot of dedication," he said, bobbing his head. God, he felt so awkward. Honestly, he felt like giving his face a high-five.

She smiled crookedly. "Yeah. Back home, I'd skate five days a week, sometimes two hours a day, depending if there was off ice."

Her eyes seemed haunted, as if she was raising a ghost talking about it. But then they sharpened, returning to the world. "Do you do any sports?"

"Lacrosse," he answered. Diana brightened. Liam tried not to blush.

"So are you any good?" she asked.

"I'd like to think so," he said. Usually when asked this question, he would say; "Yeah, I am. Very good actually." But he didn't think Diana was the type of girl to find that attractive. She would probably be repulsed by such cockiness.

"Well, I'll have to see you play then. Since you watched me do my thing," she said, gesturing to the ice. Then she blushed, like she was mortified that she suggested such a thing.

Before he could say anything, Diana reached for her phone. Her face drained into seriousness. Quickly pulling off her skate, she shoved it into her bag.

"I have to go to the Animal Clinic," she announced, zipping up her bag.

"Oh, I can walk you there. I have to meet some friends there anyway."

Surprise lit her blue-gray eyes. "Okay," she smiled tentatively.

…..

Liam held the door open for her. She smiled in thanks. Diana was incredulous. She couldn't believe this cute boy seemed interested in her. None of them really approached her back home. Honestly, she thought that she would go through high school without a boyfriend. But that actually didn't bother her that much. She had her friends, her family, skating. She was complete.

Then her parents had been taken away from her. With that gaping hole inside her heart, she didn't think she could have a boyfriend.

_Whoa there, all of a sudden you're thinking of boyfriends. Slow down there, girl_, she chastised herself.

She stopped when she saw who was in the chairs in front of the reception desk. Lydia and Kira. Along with a dark haired boy and a girl with brown-gold hair holding hands.

"Where have you been Liam? We were texting you and- " Kira chastised but then stopped, her eyes straying to her. "Oh, hi Diana! How are you?"

"Pretty good thanks."

"Oh, this is Stiles and Malia," Kira gestured towards the dark haired boy and his girlfriend.

Stiles gave her a goofy smile, while Malia just stared at her with level dark brown eyes.

"Nice to meet you," she said.

An awkward silence fell.

Luckily for her, Dr. Deaton emerged from his examination room. "Oh good, you're here Diana. You can come in," he said, opening the little door for her.

Waving at everyone else, she followed the vet inside.

Branching off from the examination room was a small room lined with animal crates. Reflective eyes peered at her from all sides as she passed. Her skin prickled.

Dr. Deaton led her to a large crate separated from the rest of them. Inside lay the black wolf. At the sight of approaching feet, the wolf growled low. But when it saw that it was Diana, it stopped immediately. It wagged its tail like a dog.

Diana crouched low, smiling. "Look at you now. All big and strong. I bet you feel a lot better don't you bud?"

The wolf panted, its tongue lolling out, like a grin. Then it pressed its nose against the bars, making a small whimper.

"When will you release him?" she asked, looking up at the vet.

"Oh, as soon as the wound heals. Then he can return home."

Diana rose, brushing at her tights. "Well, I'm glad that I wasn't too late."

Dr. Deaton assessed her. "Would you like a job here? It would be temporary, but I do need an extra hand here."

Without really thinking about it, Diana accepted at once. Then a thought came to her. The only reason the job was open temporarily was because the person who had the job was missing. That boy, Scott McCall, who's posters were posted everywhere around Beacon Hills.

"Alright. You can start on Monday night, at 7. Is that good for you?"

Diana was surprised that he was even asking. Usually, the employer would just give them their shift. Or at least that was what Diana assumed as she never had a job before. Skating and school took up too much of her time.

"Yes, thank you Dr. Deaton."

She smiled brightly, as he led her out.

"See you Monday night. I'm certain he will miss you," Dr. Deaton said, closing the little door behind her.

"See you then."

Then she left, with a shy smile aimed at Liam.

Liam turned to his friends. "Who is _he_?"

Malia just looked at Liam quizzically while Lydia, Kira and Stiles shared a look. Looked like someone had a little crush on the new girl.

**Hope you guys are enjoying this ff! Please feel free to comment/review :)**


	7. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

After another two weeks of school, Diana invited Kira and Lydia over to Aunt Lia's house. She had gotten to know the girls a lot better, but Diana knew that they were hiding something from her. Something big. They practically reeked of secrets. But she didn't bother them about it. When they trusted her, they would tell her. Or at least that was what Diana hoped.

When they got to the house, only Aunt Lia was home. She smiled tentatively at the girls, some realization flickering in her eyes.

"Kira, Lydia, this is my aunt Lia," she said, gesturing grandly towards her aunt.

"Its nice to meet you, Mrs. Hunter," Kira peeped. Lydia smiled tightly.

_What's wrong with them?_ Diana thought. Then she looked to her aunt. To anyone outside the family and friends, Aunt Lia was pretty intimidating. She did have those eyes that seemed to pin you in place.

Then Aunt Lia smiled. "Oh girls, just call me Lia. Its nice that Diana has found some friends."

Diana blushed. She stared at her aunt with wide eyes. Aunt Lia chuckled.

"Oh, am I embarrassing you? Ok, you girls have fun. I'm going out for groceries. We are going to have some guests over."

"Who?" Diana asked.

But Aunt Lia didn't hear her.

Then she promptly guided the girls around the house.

"So where's your cousin?" Kira asked.

"Oh, probably at the hospital working," Diana shrugged. "I thought she was going to be here, but oh well."

The girls relaxed in the TV room, chatting while watching some show on MTV.

"So how's Liam?" Lydia asked, raising her eyebrows. Kira giggled.

Diana shrugged. "I don't know. We're just friends."

"Oh come on. The eyes both of you make at each other? That is not being just friends," Lydia scoffed.

"Why don't you make a move?" Kira asked.

She sighed. "I don't want to mess things up. It's nice to have another friend. What if he doesn't want me like that? Then the friendship is gone, replaced with that awful awkwardness."

Kira and Lydia shared a mischievous look. Diana narrowed her eyes at them. "What?"

"Oh nothing," they both said in unison.

Diana rolled her eyes. "Fine, don't tell me. But I already feel like I know."

The girls laughed. They stilled when they heard the familiar sound of a lock sliding open.

Diana stood, going over to the front door. When she opened the door, she let out a squeal of excitement. Kira and Lydia rushed over to see what was happening.

Lydia froze as she watched Diana hug another girl. A very familiar girl.

"Cora," she murmured. Cora smiled brightly at Diana, her eyes straying to the two girls. Her smile vanished.

Cora just stared them down while Diana greeted the other two girls. One was tall, with wavy chocolate hair. Her eyes told of her mixed Japanese heritage. The other was slightly shorter, her black hair in Rasta braids. Different coloured beads decorated the ends of the braids.

Lydia felt the chill along her spine. These girls. They were tied to the supernatural. Cora was a Hale so that was obvious. But the other two newcomers. And the older blonde girl, the one that Diana said was her cousin. She looked to Kira. The other girl nodded.

Diana bounced over, her face practically glowing with happiness. It was nice to see the sadness that always haunted her eyes to be gone for once.

"Kira, Lydia, this is my cousin Melina and her cousin Cora," she said, gesturing towards them.

"This is Erika," she said, placing a hand on the Asian girl's shoulder. "And this is Bryn," gesturing towards the girl with the braids.

The new girls eyed Lydia and Kira. Lydia just knew that Erika and Bryn knew they were supernaturals.

Lydia smiled tightly at the new arrivals. "Nice to meet you all. But I'm afraid we have to go."

Diana's smile faded. "Oh, of course. I'll walk you guys out."

The door closed behind them.

….

"Does Diana know?" Erika asked.

Melina shook her head. "No. Nothing."

"That makes things easier and harder at the same time," Bryn sighed, curling some braids around her fingers.

"Well, as long as we keep those two and the others away from her. They have a habit of being in the way," Cora said, crossing her arms. "They might blow the entire thing if we're not careful."

Melina smiled crookedly. "If they're smart, then they'll know to stay away. Or we'll make them."

…..

"So are you doing anything tonight?" Liam asked as Diana picked out books from her locker.

Is he trying to ask me out? Hopefully not, that might ruin everything, she thought as she slid books into her bag.

"Why?" she asked in return.

"Lydia is throwing a party at her house tonight. Want to come?"

She tilted her head, as if pondering the thought of it. "Hmm, well can I invite people?"

Liam's eyebrows scrunched together. "Of course."

"Good." She closed the locker. "I'll meet you there then."

He grinned. "Cool, see you later." Then he left to go to his next class.

It usually would have bothered her that fact that he was a sophomore and she was a senior. But they were actually the same age at the moment, so it didn't. And the fact that he was more mature than some of the senior boys was a plus.

She pulled out her phone, opening a text to Cora, Erika and Bryn. _Want to go to a party tonight? At Lydia's._

Tucking it into her pocket, she walked off to chemistry class.

….

The group sat down at their usual lunch table, taking in the afternoon light.

"So you're telling me that this group of girls arrived at her house, including Cora Hale?" Stiles asked.

"Yes. Diana had said that Cora was Melina's cousin. I talked to Melissa and she said there was a Melina Hale that worked at the hospital," Kira said.

"And all these girls are supernatural," Stiles rubbed his chin.

"Well, obviously Cora is a werewolf. I'd assume that Melina and her aunt Lia are as well. I don't know what the other two girls are. Erika might be a kitsune. Bryn could be anything," Lydia added.

"Its too odd to be a coincidence. Are we totally sure that Diana is not a werewolf either?"

"No she's not," Liam piped up. "I couldn't smell anything on her."

"Well, I'll talk to Deaton. Scott is still stuck as a wolf. If he doesn't know about that, then maybe he'll know about these girls," Stiles left the table, whipping out of his phone. He wandered off.

"So there are more Hales?" Malia asked, her dark eyes brightening.

"So it seems," Lydia sighed.

"Diana wanted to invite people to your party. I'm assuming its some of those girls," Liam added, his index finger tapping against the flaking wood of the table.

"I guess that's an opportunity then. To really find out what's going on."


	8. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Lydia Martin's house was thick with people, the heat of their bodies pressing against Diana. Erika, Cora and Bryn flanked her. Unknown to her, Melina crouched on the roof, the cool night wind blowing her gold hair.

"I didn't think a party was your scene," Erika said, tossing a dark ringlet over her shoulder. Her hazel eyes looked green that night, outlined with dark eyeliner.

"Its not," Diana replied as they moved through the crowd. "But some of my friends are here, and Liam invited me."

Erika's face pinched. "I don't like that guy."

"Erika, you don't like any guys. You think they are beneath you."

The tall Asian girl shrugged.

"I agree with Erika," Cora said. "Me too," Bryn piped in.

"Well, he's been nice to me. He's given me no reason not to like him."

"Diana, its because he wants to get in your pants. That is all he wants. Once he gets that, he will leave you," Erika said.

"And he has serious aggression issues. You don't want to get in a relationship with that," Cora added.

"Guys, he's not my boyfriend. He's just a friend."

Her friends' behavior was really weirding Diana out. This kind of talk she expected out of Erika, and sometimes Cora, but the fact that Bryn was piping up too? Something extremely fishy was going on. And she had to find out what it was. Diana played with her necklace.

"Diana!"

Lydia strode through the crowd, her hair falling in perfect strawberry blonde waves down her shoulders. She balanced a silver tray with one hand, glass cups filled with pink liquid perched precariously on the surface.

"Hi!" Diana yelled over the noise, giving her friend a quick one-armed hug.

"Liam is looking for you!" she yelled back, smiling crookedly. Then she sobered, eying the girls behind her. "He's by the pool."

"Thanks!" She looked over her shoulder at her friends, taking in their vigilant stance. She grabbed a glass from Lydia's tray, swallowing the liquid in a few gulps. The alcohol fizzed on her tongue, in her throat, warming her stomach.

"Guys, have fun! It's a party!"

_What's wrong with them?_ She thought to herself. _Oh well. I can't keep Liam waiting, that would be rude. _

Without another word, she merged into the crowd, squirming against the firm press of bodies.

Erika and Bryn disappeared into the crowd. Cora remained with Lydia.

"You should stay away," Cora said, looking at Lydia.

"The fact that your little squadron of ladies came, just for her, makes me think she's pretty important. We're not going to hurt her."

"I'm not worried about that. You and your lot tend to make things worse before they get better. And for Diana's sake that could mean her life."

"What even happened to her?"

"Oh, you don't know?" Cora's lip quirked up in a snarl. "Her parents were murdered."

Then Cora disappeared as well, leaving Lydia standing there, lips slightly open in shock.

….

Diana found Liam by the pool, splashing his bare feet in the water. Her veins were buzzing under her skin, her heart beating hard. Maybe it was the alcohol kicking in finally after she had two more of those drinks.

She grabbed her fourth as Lydia passed by again. She gulped it down. She knew her parents were worrying about her, in whatever afterdeath was. But it was nice not to feel something for once. The gaping hole that her parents had left became fuzzy and indistinct as she drank. She wondered if he would think she looked good, in her multi-coloured dress.

She sneaked towards Liam. Diana covered his eyes with her hands. "Guess who?" she laughed.

"Oh, I don't know," he said, playing along. "Emma Stone?"

She removed her hands, letting him stand. He smiled brightly at her. "You look really good."

"Thanks!" she chirped. She grabbed his hands. "Want to dance?"

Without even saying anything, Diana pulled him close, her arms rising to twine around his neck. His hands tentatively rested on her waist. Their heat sank through the fabric of Diana's dress, into her skin, into her bones.

She pushed against his hands, knowing it would make him pull her closer. He did. They were so close that Diana could see the little silver-gray facets in his blue eyes.

She could sense the want coming off him, in the way that he so gently held her, like he was afraid to break her.

"I'm not going to shatter," she said. "Come on, let loose." Diana never thought that she would be the one to encourage the lessening of his self-control. But she was pretty tipsy. Whatever she thought came out of her mouth.

Liam hesitated. He wanted her so badly that the wolf inside him was growling to be let out. _Just give in_, it whispered to him. But he couldn't. What if he hurt her? But the scent of her, the smell of clean cotton and floral perfume, was driving him insane. His heart beat hard in his chest.

Diana touched his face with gentle fingers. If Liam wasn't careful, he knew his eyes would start glowing, or fangs would start to grow in. But she didn't see. Not yet.

Liam wouldn't look at her. _Maybe he doesn't want me after all. Or maybe Erika was right. _Her chest tightened. She was making a fool of herself.

"Thanks for inviting me," she said, dropping her arms. "I think I'll go."

Diana turned away from him, starting to walk away. But a strong arm looped around her waist, pulling her back, turning her. She collided with his hard chest. Before she could say anything, Liam kissed her hard. A tingle of electricity went down her spine. She wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him closer. His hands gripped her hips, pressing them into his. Heat flooded Diana's skin. _God did that ever feel good. _

A growl of pleasure rumbled in Liam's chest. The animal in him wanted her. He already felt the wolf skimming the surface. He knew his eyesight had sharpened into wolf vision as he pulled away. He avoided her gaze.

_Try to calm your heart rate_, he cursed at himself. He couldn't think of the softness of her body against his, how she had gasped in surprise against his mouth. He remembered how Scott had said that you had to have an anchor. He couldn't lose control in front of Diana. Even if she might be involved with the supernatural. And that was a big if.

His pulse finally slowed. He finally looked at Diana, who was looking at him with mixed curiosity and concern.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to be so rough, or-" he stopped. "I'm sorry."

"You don't have anything to be sorry about," she said, reaching up to push some hair out of his eyes. He leaned away from her touch.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have done that," he said. Liam couldn't take another chance like that. He had to keep her safe, and that meant as far away from him as possible.

Diana backed away from him, the warmth of her fading away.

Diana sighed. She should have known better. Usually she had been so smart about this kind of stuff. But all it took was one guy to break that.

"Ok then. Is this part of the game? Well if it is, consider it to be game over. Whatever hope you had to get me is gone," she said, her voice dead of emotion. "I'm not going to be your plaything."

Her skin flushed with anger, she turned away from him again. This time, he didn't stop her.

….

Stiles knelt by the pool, watching Diana walk away from Liam. He felt for the guy but the fact that the girl was something importantly supernatural, yeah, he was sort of glad that he wouldn't be involved.

He watched the other girls move through the crowds, eyes trained on Diana. Little did they know that Stiles, Lydia and Kira were also watching them. Stiles rose, following Diana. He had never really talked to the girl. She was nice, smart, nothing strange. The only thing was the sadness that always haunted her eyes.

He had tried to look up her name, but nothing came up. He even asked his dad, the sheriff. If he knew anything, he wasn't forthcoming.

"Hey!" he called after her. She stopped, her forehead crinkling in slight confusion as he approached. He grabbed her arm, not ungently. "Are you alright?"

Diana looked up at him. Her jaw was tight, as if she was restraining herself.

"What do you think?" she asked, ripping her arm out of his grasp.

He knew trying to appeal to her would not go well. So he just cut to the chase.

"How do you know those girls?"

"Cora is family. Bryn and Erika are practically family. Why?" Diana's eyes shone. Stiles wasn't sure what to make of that.

"What do you know about the Hales?" he continued. He leaned towards her. Diana backed up a step.

A strong pair of hands clamped down on his shoulders. "Ow, ow, ow," he yelped.

"Get away from her," Cora said, shoving him away from Diana.

"Hey! No need for roughness!" Lydia snapped. Kira followed shortly after. "Guys, where's Liam?"

"Oh, with Erika," Cora said casually. Bryn glared silently at them.

The group rushed outside. Bryn remained with Diana.

"What is going on?" she demanded of her friend. Bryn just shook her head.

"What are you hiding from me?" the heat and the alcohol hit her fully, making her sway on her feet.

The quiet girl grasped Diana's hand gently. "I swear that I'll tell you soon. Just not now. Okay?"

That was the best she was going to get. "Alright. Well, can we go outside? This place is suffocating me."

Hand in hand, they went outside.

…..

Liam woke up on the cold pavement outside of Lydia's house. Through his hazy vision, he could see the tall half-Japanese girl, Erika, standing above him, something metallic clasped in each of her hands. He groaned.

"Oh be quiet," she hissed, kicking at him with her leather boot. His breath left him from her blow, leaving him gasping. Then the anger came. Oh, did it ever. It engulfed him in a red fog, dissolving the barrier between wolf and human. The transformation came upon him with a flash of heat. He shot up to his feet, swinging a clawed hand at her. His hand was stopped with one of her weapons, long daggers with strange curving pincers framing it. He swung with his other hand. She blocked it too. A snarl came from his throat, fangs bared, eyes glowing bright gold. Erika jerked her wrists, throwing his arms away. Then she lashed out, her leg swinging out, knocking him hard in the head. He collapsed to the ground.

"Pathetic," she spat, deftly spinning her blades in her hands. "I had expected more of Scott McCall's Beta."

Shoes slapped hard against the pavement. Erika and Liam looked up.

Stiles, Lydia and Kira approached, followed by Cora. From the shadows, Melina emerged, eyes glowing bright red. She bared her fangs at Scott McCall's friends, her fingers tipped with razor sharp claws.

Kira withdrew her katana, settling into a stance. Erika twirled her Sai knives, eying the other kitsune with a smirk.

"Oh, shit," Stiles muttered.

"Where is Diana?" Melina demanded.

"With Bryn," Cora said. "It seemed like that idiot over there was trying to interrogate her," she gestured towards Stiles.

"Good to know your affection for me hasn't changed," Stiles quipped.

"Where is your other shapeshifter? Where is the werecoyote?"

"Not here. She doesn't like parties."

It was true, but not. Malia was guarding the perimeter of the house. Lydia had told her to.

"And what about this one," Melina asked, gesturing to Liam, who laid on his side. Blood dripped down his temple.

"He made the mistake of breaking Diana's heart," Erika said, smiling savagely down at him.

"But, I was only trying to keep her safe. I didn't want her to see me like this."

Erika just rolled her eyes. Stupid boy. He shouldn't have kissed her then.

"Kay, who are you guys?" Lydia asked.

"Her protectors," Cora answered.

Stiles' phone vibrated in his pocket. He fished it out. "Hey Deaton, its kind of not a good time."

"Stiles, he's gone. He broke out."

He sighed. "Of course he did. Cuz things just couldn't get any worse. Anything about the thing I-"

His words were interrupted by a bloodcurdling scream.

….

Diana sobbed as she was dragged across the pavement, away from the prone body of Bryn. Her Rasta braids were splayed around her head, blood leaking from a wound on her side.

Her fingernails broke off her fingers as she tried to grab purchase on the ground, trying to stop her progress. The blood from her head wound leaked into her eyes. The slashes on her chest, side and ankles pulsed heat. The way that her vision filled with black and silver stars, Diana knew she didn't have long.

A flashback overwhelmed her.

_An inhuman growl filled the hall, making Diana shake in terror. She had woken up on the floor, her blood pulsing out of her, pooling in the cracks between the hardwood panels of the floor. Her mother laid across from her, a bloodstained hand reaching out to her. But her eyes, her beautiful brown eyes were glazed over, empty. _

_Her father was fighting the assailant, as best as he could. He clutched a dagger while holding his side. _

_The man just laughed. "Really, Roman. You should know when to give up. Just give her to me, and you can live." _

_"Not in any lifetime, monster," her dad snarled. His eyes darted towards his daughter_. Go to the closet_, he mouthed to her. _

_Diana dragged herself towards the closet. She knew that another dagger was hidden inside. _

_A sudden pain filled her leg, a loud snap filling her ears. The man knelt over her. Maybe it was the blood loss, but she swore she saw razor sharp claws caked with blood and gore on the tips of his fingers. _

_The man was thrown back when her father grabbed him by the shoulder, shoving him back. _

She flashed back to the present. She recognized the plushness of grass underneath her, instead of the bumpy hardness of the pavement. All the fight was out of her. He had come back for her. She just knew he would.

"Even with your little toy soldiers protecting you, I still have you," the man murmured to her, kneeling beside her. His clawed hands were caked with blood, her blood. He slowly touched her face, blood painting her pale skin. Diana jerked away from him.

"Killing my family wasn't enough for you?" she spat.

"Oh, I didn't want to kill your family. Alas, they wouldn't let me take you. So they protected you, with their lives."

Diana stared at his face, at the aristocratic, handsome features. The dark eyes that seemed to never end.

"What do you want with me?" she whispered, tears running down her face. Her heart was slowing.

The man's eyes glowed an inhuman red. It wasn't possible. None of this was possible.

"Your blood," he said through lengthening teeth. He hovered over her, like a predator over his prey. She could feel his breath on her throat, the slight touch of his mouth against her skin. She shuddered. Diana closed her eyes, waiting for the darkness to claim her.


	9. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Being a wolf was like being a different world. But for Scott McCall, it was almost a retreat. He didn't have to worry about school, relationships, the next supernatural threat that would always be coming to Beacon Hills. He was free.

There was also this sense of relief. He no longer had to suppress the wolf side of him. Scott had always stifled it in fear that he would hurt someone, especially on a full moon. But that fear had made him weak.

His paws treaded the forest familiarly as he ran. He knew that she was in trouble. His heart pounded in his ears as he traced her scent to Lydia's house. It mixed with the scent of blood and terror. He ran, finding a slumped silhouette on the pavement. It wasn't her. Scott ran after the blood trail, leading him to some grass near the woods.

He snarled, the sound rumbling deep in his core. The man crouched over her turned at the sound. The human hidden inside him stirred in surprise. Scott recognized him. _No, it can't be him_.

Scott leaped, jaws sinking into any flesh he could find. The man yelled out, baring lengthened teeth. He rolled off her, scrambling off into the woods.

His wolf instincts pushed him to chase after him, but his human side took over, making him still. He looked down at the girl who saved him. Diana Hunter.

Her chest weakly billowed in and out, her breaths wet and rattled. Dark blood pumped from the slashes on her chest. Scott listened to her weakening heartbeat. She was going to die.

"How come I knew you would be here?" Diana whispered, looking up through slitted eyes at him.

He whined, shuffling on his haunches. She reached out, stroking his fur.

"Thank you," she told him. Her eyes fluttered. Scott could see how close she was to death, the way that her eyes focused in and out.

The sounds of pounding feet made his ears stand alert. He whirled, snarling. But it was his friends, along with some girls. The unknown girls went to kneel beside Diana, but Scott blocked them, ears flattening, teeth bared. The blond girl along with what looked like Cora Hale, snarled back, eyes glowing. Cora backed off, eyes going to the ground. But the other girl, her eyes were the colour of another Alpha. She stood her ground.

"Scott, let me see her," the girl snarled. "She's my family, my responsibility."

He backed off slightly, keeping his teeth bared as she neared.

The Alpha girl grabbed Diana's hand, pressing her lips to it. Tears ran down her cheeks, dripping off her chin.

There was a way to save her, Scott knew it.

Eyes glowing bright red, Scott nosed Diana's bloodstained hand. It stirred, rising as if to pet him again. Before he really thought of the consequences, his teeth sank into her palm. Diana let out a little gasp of pain, but otherwise didn't react.

"No!" the girl cried out. Her eyes glowed a burning red. "Do you realize what you did?"

_Saved her, no thanks to you_, he thought.

….

The group carried Diana and Bryn quickly into the Animal Clinic, placing them on two separate examination tables. The overhead lights made the bloody girls look even worse, their skin bleaching white, the blood brightening. Deaton immediately went to Diana, while instructing Lydia on how to tend to Bryn. They both worked.

Deaton's eyes strayed to the pool of blood filling in Diana's palm. Wiping it away, he leaned closer. Someone had bit her.

"Did the one that attacked her bite her?" he asked as he stripped the rags of a dress off Diana.

"No. It was Scott," Melina spat.

On cue, they heard a terrible yowling outside the Clinic. Scott.

Kira watched in the corner, eyes unreadable. She knew he did it to save her life, but Kira felt uncertainty swell in her. The way that he had stood protectively over her, like he was guarding something important.

She cursed herself. It was her fault for all of this. She had told Scott to transform completely to heal himself. It was her fault that he was stuck as a full wolf. It was her fault that he had bitten her.

The yowling increased, making the animals housed inside the Clinic respond, a cacophony of hissing, spitting and whining.

"Someone let him in," Deaton said, looking around. Kira and Lydia looked to Stiles. Erika and Cora looked to Melina. With a sigh, Melina jerked her head. "Go let him in, Erika."

"But-"

"_Now_," she growled, her usually friendly eyes burning bloody red.

Clenching her jaw, Erika went to the front door. The stupid wolf sat there, head thrown back in another howl. She yanked it open.

"If you make one move towards her, you'll have two Sai knives in your brain, I don't care if you're a True Alpha or not," Erika threatened, hands on the hilts of her weapons.

The wolf grumbled as he walked in, nails clicking against the floor. It sat next to Kira. Scott looked up at her, eyes flashing red before settling back into a warm brown. He leaned against her leg. She tentatively stroked his ears. Scott the wolf rumbled in response.

Melina went in between the two tables, clasping the two girls' hands. The group watched as her veins became raised and dark. Her pupils dilated in pain. She let go. Both girls let out a pain-relieved sigh.

Scott padded over to Diana's side, pressing his ebony head into her limp hand. Melina and her group glared as he took some of her pain. Kira's jaw tightened, looking away.

Cora, Melina, Scott and Liam all took turns taking pain from the unconscious girls. Taking too much could actually mean death for them.

Bryn woke up with a gasp, her braids sticking to her sweaty face. Her slightly shaking hands traveled to the bandages around her head. With a slight groan, she pushed herself off the table, Lydia holding her elbow. She made her way slowly to Diana. She looked to the bite on her hand. Oh no.

She exchanged a look with the girls. Scott's friends prickled. They knew a conspiratorial look when they saw one. They exchanged them all the time, whenever something supernatural was going on.

"Stiles, I think you and the others can go. I have it handled here," Dr. Deaton said. The look in his eyes left no room for argument, not even a cleverly inserted quip to turn things around by Stiles.

Stiles ran a hand through his hair, but did as the vet said, Lydia, Kira and Liam following after. Liam cast a mournful look over his shoulder at Diana, still death-pale and covered in blood on the silver examination table. He paused.

A growl rumbled from Scott's chest. He looked down, meeting his glowing red eyes. Liam ducked his head in submission. Purely on instinct, he turned, leaving along with his friends. If he was a wolf, he imagined himself leaving with his tail tucked between his legs.

The black wolf curled up beside the examination table, dark eyes twinkling like stars as he watched the girls gather around the table. Cora and Dr. Deaton lifted the limp Diana onto her side. Bryn brushed her long hair off the back of her neck.

"Have you done this before Melina? Because if you don't do it right, it could kill her or paralyze her," the vet asked.

"I know how," she answered curtly.

The older girl shook golden hairs out of her face, her lips set in a straight line. Flicking a hand, her claws shot out. Sucking in a quick breath, she pressed her claws into the vulnerable skin of Diana's neck. Her eyes blazed red as she went through the memories.

_A close up of Liam's face, the sensation of arms around her. A surging anger. Sudden darkness. A pounding heart, hot blood pulsing out of her by the second. Blood-caked claws. Lips pulling back to reveal lengthened canines. _

The images flicked quickly in her mind, feeling the pull from Diana's mind release. She had them now. She flashed back to the memories of the attack, inserting a false memory.

She withdrew her claws. Diana's blood dripped down her fingers. The smell of it stoked the animal instincts Melina had worked so hard to smother. Swallowing thickly, she wiped off the blood, then the droplets beading from the small diamond-shaped incisions in her cousin's skin. The girls and the vet watched as they closed, like invisible stitches pulling the skin back together.

Diana wouldn't have any scars. Except the one that would be on her hand. She would remember it as a souvenir from the attack on her family.

"It wasn't a smart decision to bring her to Beacon Hills," Dr. Deaton said, narrowing his eyes slightly at the Alpha girl. "She will always be in danger here."

"It couldn't be helped," Melina replied, a slight growl fusing with her words.

"You are also putting the supernatural population in danger here," the vet added.

Someone snorted. They turned to see Erika leaning against the brick wall, arms crossed. Her knives were sheathed at her waist.

"The fact that it is a population is dangerous. It needs to be culled," she said.

"Well, unless there's proof Erika, you're not killing anyone. Just because you hate yourself and your heritage, doesn't mean that these other innocent people to suffer for it, just because of what they are," Melina said, her words sharp.

Erika narrowed her eyes. She looked to Bryn and Cora. The other girls' faces were stony. She snarled in disgust.

"I'll guard the exits," she spat, whipping out her knives. The metal flashed as she twirled them effortlessly in her fingers. The door slammed with an angry shudder.

Dr. Deaton raised an eyebrow. The three girls just sighed.

"Just don't ask," Cora said. "It's a long story."

They didn't notice when Scott slipped out of the clinic, disappearing into the darkness of the forest.

….

Diana groaned awake. She found herself in her pajamas, her skin smelling like sweat and alcohol. Her mouth tasted awful, and her head felt like someone stuffed cotton into it.

"Oh, our favourite little drunkard is up!" Melina said, grinning crookedly as she entered the room.

Diana pushed herself up, running a hand through its tangled length. "I didn't drink that much did I?"

"Enough to black out," Cora said smirking, leaning against the doorframe. Erika leaned on the other side of it, expressionless. Something was really off about her. She would have to ask later.

"I got some chicken noodle soup with your name on it!" Bryn trilled as she came by the doorway. Like she said, she clasped a big white bowl, steaming with the smell of chicken broth and herbs. Cora and Erika slid inside, allowing Bryn to enter. With a bright smile, she handed Diana the bowl, handing over a bowl.

"Thanks Bryn," she said, feeling her miserable mood improving. "Melina, where's Aunt Lia?"

"Oh, Mom just had to go to work. She works out of town, so it's a bit of a commute."

"Oh yeah, I forgot that she was a vet just like Mom."

"Well, your mom and mine were thick as thieves. They knew each other in vet school. She had actually introduced your dad and her, since she was already seeing my dad, who was his brother."

This was news to Diana. "Oh wow."

She took a slurp of her soup. Even though it was piping hot and nearly burned her tongue, it was really good. She was feeling better already.

"So how much of last night do you remember?" Erika asked, her hazel eyes glinting.

She thought about it. There was a hazy memory of a kiss with Liam, him regretting it and her walking away from him. Then hanging out with Bryn. Then nothing. Absolutely nothing.

"I remember getting angry with Liam. After leaving him, I hung out with Bryn. I guess after that, I was drinking a lot."

Bryn's giggle was a little high-pitched. "Yeah, you were angry drinking I guess."

"Don't worry about Liam," Erika said. "I gave him an earful." Her eyes twinkled with something dark. Diana pitied the boy. To have Erika as an enemy, Liam was in so much trouble. Then a surge of anger replaced the pity. He didn't deserve it after playing with her. Maybe she was over-reacting but she didn't care.

Diana rubbed at her palm, her thumb tracing the lumpy silvery scar there. A bite mark from the break in. The hazy memory overcame her, the man bent over her and a sudden pain in her hand. The walls of her home shuddered, breaking apart until it was night sky around her. Diana shook her head, slurping more soup. Some hangover.

The rest of the day, the girls curled up on the couch in the TV room, laughing at some comedy playing. Diana watched passively as texts lit up her cell screen. The majority of them were from Liam. There were a couple from Lydia and Kira, asking how she was feeling. She quickly texted the girls back, after deleting all of Liam's texts.

When night fell, Melina had to go out for a shift. Bryn and Cora went out for errands. And Erika, well she disappeared. Diana didn't worry though. The girl just did that.

Diana fell asleep in her room, an open book resting on her stomach. She tossed and turned, her bedsheets flying off her. She dreamed of the man again, bent over her as the walls of her house shuddered until they burst apart into night sky, a pair of red eyes glaring down at her. A howl shattered the stars above her as the weight of her attacker pressed down on her, blood pulsing out of her. Her bloodstained hand lay limp in the dew-wet grass, while the sounds of sobs echoed over her.

She jolted up out of bed, a scream in her throat. A rumble filled the dark room, like thunder. Her head snapped towards the source of the sound. The black wolf stood in her doorway, as lightning illuminated the room with a flash.

Diana sighed in relief. She didn't feel any fear towards the wolf, like a normal sane person would. For some reason, she found his presence comforting.

The wolf jumped up onto her bed, lying down beside her. His warmth pressed into her, chasing away the chill of her skin. The smell of night air, autumn and wolf filled her nose. She hesitantly laid back down. The wolf lifted his head, pressing his cold nose into her forehead, like a kiss. Huffing, the wolf closed its eyes. Diana followed his lead.

And for once, her dreams were empty of any horrors.

**Hey everyone! Hope you're enjoying the new chapters of this ff! Comment, review, enjoy! **


	10. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Diana filled her days with school, skating, work and her friends. Liam didn't bother her, even though he tried to talk to her. She just gave him this empty look and he backed off.

On the weekends, she found that unused running trail, spending time with the black wolf. He was just as friendly as a regular dog, except more fiercely and aggressively protective.

And at night, whenever she would have a nightmare, she would wake up and find the wolf beside her. After that, she would always sleep heavily, no nightmares.

Things were going okay for her. At least for now, they were.

...

Chris Argent knocked on the Animal Clinic door. His gun remained holstered at his hip, but his hand rested on the butt of it, ready to pull it out at a moment's notice. His face itched from not shaving. Dr. Deaton answered the door, with raised eyebrows.

"You're going to want to see this," the hunter said.

The vet followed the hunter out to his red SUV in the back lot. He opened the back.

Dr. Deaton stared, not saying anything. "Alright. Bring it in."

Chris Argent nodded. He looked back into the trunk area. The body was placed carefully on its back. An arrow stuck up from its chest.

...

Stiles sat on his bed, chin resting on his open palm. He stared intently at his glass writing board, the surface of it covered with pictures. Red tape connected them, like a blood coloured web.

At the top was a picture of Diana Hunter from her school file, the girl smiling brightly. Below, were four small pictures, of the girls that were always with her. Erika. Bryn. Melina. Cora. Underneath the pictures were their names and species of supernatural.

Melina Hale: Werewolf. Alpha.

Cora Hale: Werewolf. Beta.

Erika: Kitsune* Type: ?

Bryn: ?

At the side, Stiles dedicated an entire section to Diana Hunter's history. He just needed the files. And he knew exactly where to look first.

Grabbing his keys, he quickly exited the house, jumping into his faded blue Jeep. The wind tousled his messy dark hair, like ghostly fingers running through the strands. His fingers tapped an irregular beat into the wheel. Energy curled under his skin, making him fidget. He knew if he could find out why a werewolf was after Diana, maybe he could find out what exactly she was.

It was like it was on the type of his tongue, but he still couldn't recall it.

And there was still the issue of Scott, still trapped in the body of a wolf. He couldn't blame his best friend for wanting to stay a wolf, after being turned into a berserker and almost killing his second girlfriend. Stiles knew Scott still blamed himself for not saving Allison.

The process of being turned into a berserker, and then the spell breaking was too much for Scott's body to handle, along with his fight with Peter Hale. Everything was breaking down, collapsing. The only way for him to survive was to give in to his wolf side. He survived, but he was gone. Stiles' chest cramped with a sudden pain. No, he couldn't think of it.

He parked in the back of the sheriff's station, where the barely used entrance was. Locking his Jeep, he approached the door. Stiles looked over his shoulder, dark eyes quickly flitting over everything, to make sure no one was watching. He tucked a hand into his pocket. His fingers grazed the stolen keycards. His father wouldn't be surprised, but Stiles knew that the sheriff was hiding information about Diana Hunter. Every time he asked, even though he said she might be a threat supernaturally, the sheriff clammed up.

So, of course that meant Stiles had to break in. But, he was kind of happy it turned out that way. It was more fun.

He slipped in, checking the desks. Only Deputy Parrish and a couple of others were there. Hopefully that guy didn't catch on. Considering that Jordan Parrish was as honorable and goody-two-shoes as they come, Stiles did not want him crashing his party. He bet that he probably knew something about Diana Hunter as well, now that he was in the loop.

First, he slipped into his father's office. He got into the online record of cases, typing in "Diana Hunter".

One popped up. He wrote down the file number, then erased his tracks. He slipped out of the office, and into the evidence room. He paced up and down the aisles, eyes running over the brown and white boxes lining the black metal shelves. He grabbed the one with the right one, throwing off the lid. Stiles found a thick manila folder. He opened it, finding first a picture of Diana, blue-gray eyes grave as they stared out at him. Below was another picture. It made him suck in a breath.

The girl was covered in blood, her ankles clawed out, deep claw marks carving into her torso. She also had a shattered leg. Holy shit. How did that girl survive?

"What are you doing Stiles?"

He turned to see Parrish standing there, hands braced on his hips.

"Uh… uh… I was just perusing the library. Oops this isn't the library. Well that settles the confusion. Okay, bye," he babbled, trying to slip past the Deputy. But no luck. Parrish stopped him with a hand to his shoulder. His light eyes darted to the file clasped in Stiles' hand.

He sighed. "You're trying to look at Diana Hunter's file aren't you?"

"Well, um, that is heck of a conclusion, Parrish. Maybe I'm looking at your file?"

Parrish rolled his eyes, closing the door. "Come on, Stiles. Show me."

With a groan, he handed over the file.

...

Sheriff Stilinski walked into his office, groaning as he settled into his chair. He jiggled the mouse of his computer, frowning slightly when it immediately lit up. A search engine of the cases was still open on his screen.

He ran a hand through his thin hair, sighing to himself. "Stiles," was all he said.

He picked up the phone, dialing a number.

"Hello?" a female voice asked.

"Yes, Lia Hunter? This is Sheriff Stilinski calling….."

...

Stiles slipped out of the back, Diana's file tucked neatly into his jacket. Despite having a collaborator in Parrish, the sneak-in was a success. But more like a near-failure.

Unlocking his Jeep door, he was about to slip in when there was a clatter of metal behind him. He didn't turn. Instead, he subtly reached for his baseball bat, getting a good grip on it, and swinging out.

A thin hand easily swatted it away, the metal clanging as it tumbled to the pavement. The same hand seized Stiles' by the throat, slamming him back into his Jeep.

"What in the world, are you doing?" Erika asked sweetly. Her fingers tightened around his jugular. Stiles could feel the walls of his esophagus bending under her fingers, making him choke loudly.

He choked a sarcastic string of swear words, but they were too garbled for Erika to understand.

Stiles wasn't sure if he was hallucinating from the lack of oxygen, but he swore that her hand heated up, burning into his skin. Reflex tears wetted his eyes.

Erika reached for her Sai knife. This meddling human had to be put down.

"Let go of him. Now."

Erika whirled, a snarl pulling at her lips. Parrish stood behind her, gun aimed at her. She looked back to Stiles. No, she would have to come back later. There were more pressing matters. To have that one interfere would not bode well. She needed the human preferably alone.

With an outraged snarl, she let go of Stiles, shoving her Sai knife back into her belt loops. With a toss of her hair, she was gone with a blur of speed.

"Are you alright?" Parrish asked, eyes still scanning the area.

Stiles wheezed in response, a hand to his throat.

Parrish looked him up and down, his eyebrows crunching together. Closing the distance in a few steps, he touched Stiles' hand. Stiles uncovered his neck.

A bright red handprint was branded into his skin.


End file.
